Forest Child
by Errand Girl
Summary: Lyna is an elf of pride and strength, so when she begins to act oddly and refuses to tell anyone why, Zevran decides to take matters into his own hands. Do not own Dragon Age.


Lyna Maharel didn't understand how anyone could live in this place. She was beginning to sorely regret agreeing to come to Denerim in search of Alistair's sister. It was so dead here, the only sign live here was the rare blade of grass sticking up out of the cobble stones, or a feral cat or dog scrounging for food. By the Dread Wolf, if this is what a _surface_ city was like, she was not looking forward to Orzamar.

"When this is over I am never leaving the forest again."Lyna mumbled, she sighed, "I hate the city."

"Well, that's not a very nice thing to say."

Lyna whirled around to face Zevran. She hated it when he did that. He loved to sneak up on her at the most inconvenient times. On one of these times he'd almost seen the dagger that Tamlen had given her when they were children, thankfully, she'd managed to hide it before Zevran saw it. That thought nearly made Lyna wince, she'd left the dagger on the bedside table. Sod, she needed to get Zevran out ASAP.

"Is there anything specific you want, Zevran, or are you simply here to be annoying?" Lyna asked angrily, cursing herself for doing so. If it were anyone else in their small team she could have acted like nothing was wrong. But _no_, Zevran just had to have that air to him that made her speak her mind without thinking.

Zevran simply smiled at the angry Warden, he loved the fire that lit up in her eyes when she was mad. "Ah, my dear Warden. Is it so hard to believe that I came here only to talk?"

Lyna raised an eyebrow in a, 'you really want me to answer that?' way.

"My Warden, you wound me." Zevran said, putting on a mock pained expression.

"I'm about to." Lyna retorted.

Zevran raised an eyebrow at the young Dalish. "Warden, the rest of our comrades and I are concerned for you. While we are out in the city, you are more jumpy than Alistair when he can sense darkspawn nearby, and when we return to the inn, you march straight up here to your room without a single word, when usually you would stay up longer than the rest of us. Now you are making blatant threats that you obviously have no intention of carrying out, when our dear witch Morragin is usually the cold and threatening one. What is it that is affecting you so?"

Lyna gave him that look that said that if you knew what was good for you you'd drop the subject. Oh no, not this time. Zevran usually wasn't one to stick his nose where it was not wanted, as the result of this could mean losing it. However the ravishing beauty that had dodged, evaded and out right ignored all of his advances, had been acting off for days, and it was severely beginning to bother him. He squared his shoulders and looked dead at Lyna.

"Lyna Maharel, surely a city could not have such an effect on a seasoned Dalish Warrior." He was caught off guard when she looked away in embarrassment. "A collection of buildings has you acting like this?"

Quick as a flash, Lyna grabbed the pillow on her bed and threw it at the offending elf. Skilfully dodging the projectile, Zevran took the hint and left, before the projectiles evolved from pillows to daggers. As Zevran got down to where the others were waiting for him, he was glad to note that Sten wasn't present. If he found out what was making Lyna act off, he'd march up to her room and try yelling at her. He didn't seem to understand that you couldn't force people like the Dalish girl to act anything other that themself.

"Any luck?" Alistair asked instantly.

Zevran shook his head. "She is more stubborn that a Mabarii." He then looked at the dog, that Lyna was so fond of, by the fire. "No offence."

Barkspawn let out a short 'ruff' in response, before snuggling back down in his warm spot. Morragin snorted at them all.

"Honestly. You lot are so incredibly thick." They all looked at her and she rolled her eyes. "Lyna is a Dalish elf, right? They go explicitly out of their way to _avoid_ humans, this Blight is probably the first time she's been out of the forest, let alone in a city where the wildest thing is a stray cat."

Alistair glared at the witch. "You've lived your whole life in the forest too, and you're not acting like her."

Morragin rolled her eyes. "I've had experience with human settlements. Lothering was probably the first time Lyna's seen how humans live. You saw how she always looked so amazed at everything there didn't you?" Alistair was silent. "And that was when there was still plenty of wild greenery around. Imagine what this place, without any of the life that acted as a comforter, would do to her."

That gave Zevran an Idea...

Lyna sighed as she prepared for a new day. She tried to calm herself by thinking that at least this was the last day they would be here, tomorrow they would be back on the road, with the wide open spaces and the lush green grass. She heard a knock at the door.

"The door's open." She called.

Zevran pocked his head in and looked at Lyna. "I have a surprise for you, my warden. Would you come with me?"

Lyna walked out and folded her arms. "This isn't going to be like your last 'surprise', is it?"

"I promise you, I have nothing untoward planned. If it will make you feel better I will even remain five steps away from you at all times."

Lyna shook her head. "Alright, let's see it."

"It is not here, we actually need to go to it."

With that Zevran led Lyna out of the inn and into the streets. As they walked they got further and further away from the inn. Lyna had no doubt that Zevran could find their way back, but she had promised Alistair that they'd find his sister and she didn't want him to think she'd back out on a promise.

"I told the others that we'd be starting late today. Don't worry, we have plenty of time." Zevran told her.

He led her through a small alleyway and they came to an old wooden door. Zevran opened the door and gestured for Lyna to go through. She walked through the door, ducking her head as she did so. When she looked up she gasped. The place she now found herself in was awash with green. There were trees everywhere hiding the walls, flowers bloomed along a small stone path and birds sung everywhere. This place was beautiful.

"Do you like it?" Zevran asked from behind her. Lyna whirled around and wrapped her arms around his neck in a big hug. Zevran chuckled. "I will take that as a 'yes'."

*Several weeks later*

"Lyna," Arl Eamon called to her as she sat reading an old story about a knight named Aveline. "I hear you've been frequenting the palace gardens."

"Oh, they're absolutely beautiful." She smiled then adopted a pouty expression. "Why don't more people visit them?"

Alistair looked over with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe, because they're private and surrounded by walls and guards?"

"I thought all those men looked a little cross."


End file.
